LUBBOCK, Texas -- While most fairgoers are headed for the funnel cakes and the Ferris wheel, a dedicated flock of pigeon enthusiasts is gathering in a quieter corner of the South Plains Fair for birds that are anything but ordinary.

Inside the exhibition hall, you’ll find pigeons with feathered feet, birds that do backflips in the air and even high-flying racers trained to travel hundreds of miles. The annual pigeon show draws breeders from across the region, including longtime enthusiast Mickey Jackson of Carlsbad, New Mexico, who’s been attending the event for over 30 years.

“There are over 200 different breeds of pigeons, from fancy and rare to performing and utility birds,” Jackson said. “People don’t realize how incredible these animals really are.”

Judged by strict standards set b

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